In an earlier U.S. Patent.sup.1, I disclosed a polarizing electrooptic screen employing a suspension of dipolar particles, which is placed over a standard CRT. These dipoles are oriented alternately in the X and Y directions to distinguish two orthogonally polarized stereo images, which are viewed through polarized viewers (eyeglasses) to produce a 3D image.
The inventors Alvin and Mortimer Marks describe a 3D TV system.sup.2, utilizing a 3D TV camera with a dichroic beam splitter in which the right and left stereo images are carried on the standard color signals. The intermixed stereo images on the CRT are separated by color filters mounted in the viewers. The presentation of different color images at the observer's eyes produces a good stereo image; however, the color imbalance causes visual fatigue and discomfort. Accordingly, the inventors sought to overcome this problem by employing polarizers over the color pixels, enabling the viewer to wear standard polarized viewers to separate the images. While this is an improvement, it did not entirely solve the problem, because the CRT images still had color imbalance, although the surroundings appeared normal.
An advantage of this system is that it is compatible with the 3D motion picture standards used in producing and exhibiting modern 3D film filmed in the format employed in the Marks 3Dipex Converter; that is, 2 images, right and left, one over the other with a narrow black bar between them, and with a width/height ratio exceeding 2.
A further advantage of this system is that the 3D color CRT is inherently, automatically 2D/3D compatible without additional circuitry or switches; that is, if a 3D-color signal is transmitted, the CRT of this invention will display 3D color polarized images when seen through polarized viewers; if a (2D) flat color image is transmitted, the CRT of this invention will display a flat color image in the usual manner without viewers. All of the information is processed at the television broadcasting facility using the 3D-TV color camera and associated circuits of this invention; and, displayed on the color-polarized CRT of this invention.